Range receptacle contact



y 3, 1956 E. E. FORSTROM Z'Z539 RANGE RECEPTACLEI CONTACT Filed April20, 1954 INVENTOR. 501mm .5 warm/a; BY

AZTOENEY RANGE RECEPTACLE CONTACT Edward E. Forstrom, Bridgeport, Conn.,assiguor to Eagle Electric Manufacturing Co., Long Island City, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application April 20, 1954, Serial No. 424,443

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-472) The present invention is directed to rangereceptacles and more particularly to an improved form of contact memberfor sockets into which a prong of the stove plug is inserted.

Range receptacles of this type having three sockets for the reception ofa triple plug are well known and have been in use for some time. Often,difliculty arises in making connections from the power line to thereceptacle since the cables are relatively heavy and stiif. The contactmembers of the prior art had a U-shaped metallic holder into which theend of the cable was inserted. However, the keeper or locking device forthe same was so constructed that it obstructed, in part, the opening ofthe holder so that it was necessary in many cases to slip the cable inendwise. This often presented difficulties and disadvantages, not onlybecause of the stiffness of the cable, but also because of the narrowspace in which the end of the cable could be manipulated.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome theditficulties and disadvantages inherent in prior devices of the typedescribed, it being among the objects of the present invention toprovide a contact for a range receptacle which is simple inconstruction, contains very few parts, and which parts may be stampedfrom readily available sheets or bars of metal.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide adevice of the character described in which the holder has a relativelylarge opening so that the end of the cable may be laid within the samefrom the top thereof, as well as from the side or end.

It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide acontact member having a keeper which is held captive in the holder sothat it is always in position for use and which does not obstruct anyportion of the space within the holder.

It is still further among the objects of the present invention toprovide a contact member which is easily assembled; in which no stakingof any parts in required, and which allows the ready insertion of thecable even in a. cramped space.

In practicing the present invention, the base of the receptacle and theseveral elements thereof are provided. The holder for the end of thecable is a U-shaped member having a horizontal extension on one of thelegs thereof, said extension having an opening therein. The keeper is aflat piece of metal having a threaded opening centrally thereof and apair of wings of such dimensions that when the keeper is inserted in theopening, the wings act as a hinge allowing the keeper to be rotatedentirely out of the inside of the U. A set screw threaded into theopening in the keeper prevents the same from being accidentallydisplaced from the holder.

in the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which likereference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a plane view of a range receptacle showing the application ofthe present invention thereto, the cover having been removed therefrom;

hired States Patent Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of theholder in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the keeper;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the holder, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2, butshowing the device in open position to accommodate the end of the cable.

Base 1 of metal has mounted thereon an insulating member 2 carryingsockets 3, 4 and 5. These are connected to holders 6, 7 and 8 in theusual manner. The holder consists of a flat bottom member 9 which issuitably secured to insulating member 2 and has a leg 10 at right anglesthereto having a horizontal slot 11 therein. The other leg 12, which isparallel to leg 10, is somewhat shorter and has a right-angled extension12 projecting in the opposite direction from leg 10. An opening isformed in said extension forming a shoulder 14 and a horizontal space15. The keeper, as shown in Fig. 13, has a rectangular tongue 16 with athreaded opening 17 in the center thereof. A set screw 18 is threadedinto opening 17. Laterally-extending wings 19 permit the keeper to beinserted from the right into opening 15, the wings bearing against leg12 to limit the inward movement thereof. Shoulder 14- is at the samelevel as the lower edge of slot 11. The thickness and width of keeper 16are such that it fits snugly into slot 11.

In the operation of the contact member, set screw 18 is retracted andkeeper 16 is swung to the right as shown in Fig. 5. This provides a fullopening between legs 10 and 12. The end of the wire or cable may beinserted in a horizontal position from above, or may be slid in endwisesince there is a free space from both directions for this purpose. Thekeeper 16 is swung into a horizontal position and the end thereof isslipped into slot 11. Then set screw 18 is threaded in opening 17 untilit bears firmly against the end 19 of the cable.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single,specific embodiment thereof, various changes in the details ofconstruction may be made within the spirit of the invention. Thereforethe invention is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except bythe'character of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In a contact member for range receptacles comprising a base, aplurality of sockets mounted on said base and adapted to receive theprongs of a plug, contact members for holding the ends of wireselectrically connected with said sockets, the improvement whichcomprises a U-shaped holder for a wire, said holder having a fiat baseand a pair of legs at substantially right angles thereto, one of thelegs of said holder having a slot therein, said slot being substantiallyparallel to the base of said holder, the other leg of said holder havinga lateral extension, an opening in said other leg adjacent to thejunction thereof with said extension, a substantially flat keeper havinga tongue and wings thereon, said keeper fitting into said opening andadapted to enter said slot, said wings and opening forming a hinge forsaid tongue, a threaded hole in said tongue, and a screw in said holefor clamping said wire.

2. In a contact member for range receptacles comprising a base, aplurality of sockets mounted on said base and adapted to receive theprongs of a plug, contact members for holding the ends of wireselectrically connected with said sockets, the improvement whichcomprises a U-shaped holder for a wire, said holder having a flat baseand a pair of legs at substantially right angles thereto, one of thelegs of said holder having a slot therein, said slot being substantiallyparallel to the base of said holder, the other leg of said holder havinga lateral extension, an opening in said other leg adjacent to thejunction thereof with said extension, a substantially fiat keeper havinga tongue and wings thereon, said keeper fitting into said opening andadapted to enter said slot, said Wings and opening forming a hinge forsaid tongue, a threaded hole in said tongue, and a screw in said holefor clamping said wire, the under face of said extension being in a.plane passing through the upper edge of said slot.

3. In a contact member for range receptacles comprising a base, aplurality of sockets mounted on said base and adapted to receive theprongs of a plug, contact members for holding the ends of Wireselectrically connected with said sockets, the improvement whichcomprises a. U-shaped holder for a wire, said holder having a flat baseand a pair of le s at substantially right angles thereto, one of thelegs of said holder having a slot therein, said slot being substantiallyparallel to the base of said holder, the other leg of said holder havinga lateral extension, an opening in said other leg adjacent to thejunction thereol with said extension, a substantially fiat keeper havinga tongue and wings thereon, said keeper fitting into said opening andadapted to enter said slot, said wings and opening forming a hinge forsaid tongue, said keeper being adapted to rotate into a position outsideof the space between said legs, a threaded hole in said tongue and ascrew in said hole for clamping said wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,995,386 Frank Mar. 26, 1935 2,164,021 Ragofi June 27, 1939 2,265,911Landmeier Dec. 9, 1941. 2,459,832 McKinley Jan. 25, 1949 2,461,135Bentley Feb. 8, 1949

